DIY Nail Tips & Hacks Every Nail Art Enthusiast Should Know

Knowing the right nail tips is important for nail art enthusiasts. Here are some hacks and tricks you should know for the perfect nail art!

DIY Nail Tips To Create The Best Nail Art

Getting a manicure can be fun, but sometimes, we just don’t have the funds or the time for it. And sometimes we’re a bit too lazy to even bother. But that shouldn’t get in the way of having fabulous nails. It’s actually quite easy to look like you just came straight from the nail salon without ever having to leave your house.

Follow these DIY nail tips and hacks to look like you’ve got the best nail art design without having to break the bank!

1. Polka Dots

To get perfectly rounded polka dots, dip the rounded end of a bobby pin into the nail polish color of your choice. Carefully press the polish-dipped end of the bobby pin to your nails, creating as many dots as you’d like. Allow your nails to air-dry for a few moments, then dip them into a bowl of ice water, helping the dots to dry faster. You can then add flowers, ribbons or any design to glam up your polka dot nail art.

2. Lace Print

For this style, it’s recommended that you use a nude or pale grey color, like Bloom Cosmetics’ Emily Green Pale Grey, so the lace print really pops!

After the base coat has dried, individually wrap each nail in a piece of lace. Select a different shade of nail polish (make sure it visibly contrasts with your base coat color) and paint over the lace. This may take a few tries before you perfect it, but it’s worth it!

3. French Tips

Take binder-hole reinforcement stickers (or any small, circular sticker you can find) and place them on each fingernail, leaving room at the top of the french tip.

Apply white polish to the area of each fingernail that isn’t covered with stickers and allow it to dry. Finish off with a top coat. Once you’ve mastered this, you can then experiment with other French tip designs.

4. No Water Marbled Nails

After your base coat is nearly dry, apply drops of one or two polish colors of your choice. Quickly blot the freshly-applied drops with a plastic wrap until your desired look is achieved. This technique will give the design a marbled look similar to water marbling.

Allow your masterpiece to dry, then apply a top coat to seal off the design.

Follow this video for a detailed instruction.

5. Lines, Boxes or Stripes

Take a few pieces of Scotch tape and then cut them in to strips. Place them onto your fingernails (make sure your base coat has completely dried first!) in the desired shapes you want. Paint around the strips with a contrasting shade of polish.

6. Sharpie Nail Art

After your base color fully dries, choose as many different colors of Sharpies as you like and paint your nails any way you want! Rainbow colors, dots, stripes, smiley faces…anything! Protect your masterpiece with top coat.

7. Thin Stripes

Take a fan brush and dip the edges into a contrasting color of acrylic paint. Gently brush your nails from side to side, creating thin horizontal lines.

8. Newspaper Nails

Bring out the bookworm in you with newspaper nails. To do this, cut up pieces of an old book, magazine or newspaper. Soak the paper in alcohol and apply on white-clad nails. Pat on the paper then let it sit for 30 seconds. Most of the words should have transferred to your nails.

9. Drip Nails

Thanks to Kylie Jenner’s Lip Kit, the drip design rose in popularity in the nail art world. Paint on a small dot in the middle of the nail with a dotting tool, then slightly lift the tool and drag it up towards the cuticle. Repeat two more times on either side of the original dot. You can make the drips smaller as well. Then, use an acrylic brush to connect the drips together near the cuticles.

10. Zebra Print

Start with a white base. Using a striper, paint on slightly slanted lines from the side of the nail towards the center. Repeat this several times until a somewhat zigzag pattern is achieved. Apply a top coat to seal off your zebra nail print.

11. Nail Tips For Applying Glitter

When you want glitter on your nails, it can get a bit frustrating when only two or three specks stick on your nails. To get full coverage on your nails, apply the polish with a makeup sponge first, then dab on your nails. I guarantee it will cover the entire surface of your nail!

12. Ombre

To get a wonderful ombre nail art, you’ll need a sturdy makeup sponge. Apply two or three colors right next to each other on a makeup sponge. Then dab it on your nails. The colors should mix as you do this several times. Apply two or three coats for the colors to really come out.

13. Mermaid Nails

For a bit more intricate design like mermaid scales, you will have to use stencils. Paint over the stencils for the design to come out. I suggest wearing a more glittery base to give the design more depth.

14. Leopard Print

Using the tip of a toothpick or bobby pin, put a little dot on your nail. Make sure the dot is a different color from your base color. Then using another toothpick, draw a half border on one side of the dot. Continue on the other side but make sure they don’t connect or intersect. Repeat on the rest of the nail for a better effect. And voila! You’ve got yourself some pretty leopard nails!

Follow these useful nail tips from Cute Polish to make your own awesome design.

Aren’t those nail tips so easy to follow for your next awesome nail art? Pick out your favorite design and try it on your own nails. And don’t forget to share it with me in the comments section below.

Need more nail tips for taking care of your nails? Check out this manicure hacks list next!

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Editor’s Note – This post was originally published in June 2016 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

image via Cute Polish